Filmland Follies

              One of the commonly-heard questions about Old Hollywood actresses tends to be, "Wait, how many husbands did she have?" And while this question is problematic in itself - she was a powerhouse actress in a Hollywood run by men, who cares how many times she was married - it does tend to linger in your mind. What was the deal with all the Hollywood husbands?             Perhaps Bette Davis, known for her one-liners both on- and off-screen, summed it up best: "None of my husbands was ever man enough to become Mr. Bette Davis." The imbalance of power created by Hollywood stardom was simply too much for many men who felt threatened by their wife's acclaim, influence, and earnings. Sadly for dozens of actresses, this resulted in a string of divorces that were amplified by their prominent press coverage.             Ginger Rogers was married five times and s...

               Oscars season is upon us again! I'm always excited to watch - especially for the red carpet - but I also love looking at photos and footage from Old Hollywood Oscars ceremonies. (It may be because those are the ones with actors I actually know.) I was thinking about this the other day when I realized something exciting - it's 2021! Which means it has been 80 years since my favorite Academy Awards ceremony, if one can have a favorite. Happy anniversary, 1941 Oscars!               The 13th Academy Awards was held on February 27, 1941, at the Biltmore Hotel. The ceremony honored films released the previous year, 1940, and was hosted by Bob Hope.                It was the first time the names of the winners were kept secret until the moment they received awards. This led to the line, "May I have the envelope, please?" Best Picture Who Won: Rebecca...